Westborough candidates focus on cost, services

Selectman and School Committee hopefuls emphasized the need to keep costs low while maintaining quality services during Monday's candidates forum.

Kelleigh Welch/Daily News staff

Selectman and School Committee hopefuls emphasized the need to keep costs low while maintaining quality services during Monday's candidates forum.

The event, hosted by the Westborough Democratic Committee at Willows Retirement Community, gave the candidates a chance to make their cases to voters before next week's town election.

Ian Johnson and Gary Wells, who are running for one three-year Board of Selectmen seat, focused on bringing new business to town.

"This goes back to one of my primary issues: tax levy," Wells said. "We have to maintain a flat tax rate that is going to bring in businesses."

Wells said the tax burden is 60 percent residential and 40 percent commercial, and the town needs to find ways to relieve the burden on homeowners.

Johnson said he supports a tax increment finance question proposed on the annual Town Meeting warrant, which would give businesses a tax break over five years if they move to Westborough.

"This is not detrimental to the town, but just cuts incremental growth," Johnson said.

When asked about preserving services, such as in the school district, Wells said specific and serious cuts were possible, but he did not give examples.

"It's very complex and would take some analysis," he said. "Obviously you could go up in taxes, but no one wants that to happen. We need to think about what the town needs and what can be cut, but hopefully those days won't come."

Johnson said the Board of Selectmen needs to educate residents "so they can understand the value of what they're paying."

Michael Cashman, one of three candidates running for two three-year spots on the School Committee, said a student asked him for alcohol education in the schools.

"The fact that this student asked that means there are students concerned with this," he said.

Cashman said he would not make decisions on what should be offered but would work to find proper funding for the appropriate programs.

Candidate Jody Hensley, speaking about district priorities, said she would work to keep teachers focused on instruction while also keeping class sizes small.

"Educators make the school, and we need the best teachers teaching our students," Hensley said.

School Committee member Ilyse Levine-Kanjii said she would use her previous experience on the board to continue providing quality services.

"I pledge to work hard and look to suggestions for improvement with an open mind," she said. "A vote for me is a vote for continuity and experience."

The election is May 3.

(Kelleigh Welch can be reached at 508-490-7475 or kwelch@wickedlocal.com.)